Shelf suspension system



June 9, 1964 E. F. REISS SHELF SUSPENSION SYSTEM Filed Sept. 14, 1961 MWA from/5V5 INVENTOR. EDMUND fiRf/SS United States Patent 3,136,520 SHELFSUSPENSION SYSTEM Edmund F. Reiss, New Britain, Conn., assignor to TheStanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut FiledSept. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 138,115 3 Claims. (Cl. 248--243) The presentinvention relates to adjustable supports for shelving and the like, andmore particularly to shelfsupporting assemblies using vertical standardswith shelfsupporting elements thereon.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a highly attractive andrugged support assembly for shelving and the like utilizing verticalstandards and shelf-supporting elements which may be readily assembledto each other and adjusted for variations in height without tools andauxiliary locking screws or levers.

Another aim is to provide such a readily adjustable shelf-supportingassembly using upright standards having a highly pleasing appearancewith substantially unbroken outer faces and wherein the standards may beset into recesses in the planar surfaces upon which they are mounted.

It is also an aim to provide such a shelf-supporting system wherein theelements may be readily and economically fabricated to provide a ruggedand durable assembly wherein the quickly adjustable interengagementbetween the elements is substantially concealed from view.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front perspective view of an embodiment of theshelf-supporting assembly of the present invention as erected upon awall and showing a supported shelf in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a similar fragmentary perspective view of a shelf-supportingassembly embodying the invention as mounted upon a wall by analternative method of mounting and wherein a shelf is illustrated inphantom;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an upright member;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a shelf bracket as operatively assembled to anupright and wall with the wall and upright in section;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the assembly in FIG. 4 with thewall broken away to expose the elements within the recess;

FIG. 6 is a top view similar to FIG. 3 to an enlarged scale of analternative embodiment of a shelf-supporting element;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the assembly in FIG. 6 with thewall broken away;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged rear perspective view of an assembled upright andbracket of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of the bracket of FIG. 8 to a reducedscale.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present invention utilizesupright standards 2 which have a front wall 4 and sidewalls 6 havinginwardly extending U-shaped channels 8 at their rearward ends. As shownin FIG. 3, the base portion of the U-shaped channels 8 is provided withregularly spaced vertically elongated mounted apertures or slots 10conveniently at distances of about one inch apart depending upon therange of adjustability desired. As can be seen from the drawing, thefront Patented June 9, 1964 wall 4 of the standards is unbroken with theexception of several longitudinally spaced countersunk holes 12 in whichscrews or other fasteners 14 are seated to mount the standards to a wallor like planar surface 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, in one method of mounting the standards are securedto the surface of the wall 16 and the shelves 18 (shown in phantom)provided with notches or grooves 20 to fit snugly about the standards 2.When this installation will permit, the method of mounting illustratedin FIG. 2 is preferably utilized for greatest aesthetic appeal andoptimum utilization of the shelf area. In this method, the standards 2are fastened in rabetted recesses 22 in the wall 16 so that the frontmounting shown in FIGS. 26 of the drawing, the rabetface thereof issubstantially flush with the planar wall surface.

When the standards are placed along the rear edge of the shelves, thereis utilized an elongated bracket 24 for supporting the entire width ofthe shelves, as best illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9. The bracket 24is an integrally formed sheet metal structure of generally U- shapedcross-section having a pair of elongated arms 26 extending generallyperpendicular to the front wall 4 from a connecting or base portion 28which is provided with an upstanding lip 30 for holding the shelf 18 onthe bracket against inadvertent forward displacement. The bottom edge ofthe arms is inclined downwardly toward the free ends of the arms so asto increase their width for greater strength and for providing optimuminterengagement with the standard as will be evident hereinafter. Thetop edges extend perpendicularly to the standard 2 and the bottomsurface of the shelf 18 rests on both arms throughout its width so as toderive optimum support therefrom.

' As best illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the free ends of the arms 26 areprovided with inwardly facingflanges 32 each having a pair of inwardlyprojecting cam hooks 34 formed therein at a distance apart registeringwith the spacing of the mounting apertures 10 in the base of theU-shaped channel 8 of the standard 2. The slots 36 against the rearwardleg of the U-shaped channel and thence to the wall 16 during loading ofthe bracket 24.

In assembling the bracket 24 to the standard 2, the

free ends of the arms 26 are sprung or spread apart so as to fit overthe side walls 6 of the standard and then snapped into the U-shapedchannels 8 with the hooks 34 seated in mounting apertures 10. In themethod of ted recesses 22 in the wall 16 for receiving the channels areof sufficient width to permit movement of the spreadapart arms 26.

When the standards 2 are to be placed at the ends of the shelves as inthe right hand portion of FIG. 2, particularly in a book case orcabinet, the shelf rests generally designated by the numeral 40 arepreferably utilized in combination with a pair of standards at each endof the shelves. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shelf rest 40 iscomprised of an arm 42 having a laterally extending flange 44 along itsupper edge upon which the shelf 18 rests, and a generally U-shapedmounting section 46 adapted to closely embrace the standard 2 with theleg attached to the arm 42 seated flush against the front wall 4, itsbase portion flush against the side wall 6 and its other or free legextending inwardly of the U- 3 shaped channel 8. On the free leg areprovided a pair of spaced cam hooks (not shown) of similar configurationand employing slots similar to the hooks 34 and slots 36 of the shelfbracket 24.

The elongated brackets 24 may be readily adjusted Vertically along thestandards 2 by lifting the brackets sufficiently for the hooks 34 todisengage the slots 36 from thewalls of the base portion and thenspreading the arms 26 apart suificiently to remove the hooks 34 from themounting apertures 10. If desired, the bracket can be fully removed byfurther spreading the arms so that the hooks 34 will clear the sidewalls 6 of the standard. Due to the nature of the sheet metal bracket 24and its roll-forming about a radius at the base portion 28, the arms areresiliently spreadable so that no permanent deformation occurs evenafter substantial periods of usage.

To adjust the shelf rest 40, it is merely necessary to lift itsufficiently to disengage the slots 50 from the wall of the standard andthen move the shelf rest 40 laterally outwardly from the side of thestandard.

. In utilizing the assembly for relatively long lengths of shelving,standards are preferably spaced at predetermined points along the wall16 and the elongated brackets 24 are employed therewith. For a normalinstallation having a shelf length of about 2-5 feet destined to carry anormal load, only a pair of standards are generally necessary which arespaced slightly inwardly of the ends a of the shelf. If so desired,shelf rests 40 and additional pairs of standards 2 may be employed atthe ends of the shelf in conjunction with standards and elongatedbrackets 24 spaced along the rear edge of the shelves intermediate theirlength. For relatively short lengths of shelving, the shelf rests 40 areprimarily utilized in pairs at each end of the shelves, particularly inbook cases or cabinets.

In the shelf-supporting assembly of the present invention, it can beseen that the front face of the upright member or standard issubstantially unbroken and that the connection or engagementtherebetween and the shelfsupporting elements is disposed rearwardly ofthefront face so as to be concealed and present a highly pleasingappearance. Further, standards may be mounted in rabetted recesses inthe wall for a highly pleasing flush appearing unit affording optimumutilization of the shelf space. The simple and rapidly effectedinterengagement of the shelf-supporting elements with the standardsrequires no auxiliary locking screws or levers and provides facilevertical adjustment without tools while also providing a rugged, firmsupport for the shelves.

As will be apparentto persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the'structure above described will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shelf-supporting assembly including a vertical standard having acontinuous front wall and sidewalls with inwardly facing narrow slotsforming U-shaped channels adjacent their rearward ends, said U-shapedchannels having a plurality of aligned vertically elongated aperturesspaced along the base portion thereof; and a one piece shelf-supportingbracket of generally U-shaped cross section having a pair of elongatedarms extending generally perpendicularly to said front wall and alongthe sidewalls of the standard, said arms being resiliently spreadableand having inwardly facing flanges at their free ends extending into theU-shaped channels of said standard, said flanges having hook-shapedprojections thereon engaged in said elongated apertures in the U- shapedchannels.

2. In combination, a wall having a vertical recess, a shelf-supportingassembly including a vertical standard positioned in said recess so thatits front wall is substantially flush with the surface of the wall andhaving a lateral clearance relative to the sides of said recess, thefront wall of said standard being continuous and the side walls thereofhaving inwardly facing narrow vertical slots forming U-shaped channels,said U-shaped channels each having a plurality'of aligned aperturesspaced along the base portion thereof, and a shelf-supporting bracketdisengageably mounted on said standard, said bracket being of generallyU-shaped cross section and having a pair of elongated arms extendinggenerally perpendicularly to said front wall and along the side walls ofsaid standard, said arms being resiliently. spreadable and havinginwardly facing flanges at their free ends extending into said channels,said flanges having tapered hook-shaped projections thereon engaged insaid apertures securing said inwardly facing flanges in said channels.

3. A shelf-supporting assembly including a vertical standard having acontinuous front wall and side walls having inwardly facing narrowslots. forming U-shaped channels extending from one end of the standardto the other, said U-shaped channels comprising a pair of leg portionsjoined by a base portion at their innermost ends and providing along thebase portions thereof a plurality of vertically aligned elongatedapertures; and a one-piece shelf-supporting bracket of generallyU-shaped cross section having a pair of elongated arms extendinggenerally perpendicularly to the front wall and along the side walls ofsaid standard, said elongated arms being resiliently spreadable andhaving inwardly facing flanges at their free ends extending into theU-shaped channels of said standard, said flanges having taperedhook-shaped projections thereon engaged in said elongated apertures insaid U- shaped channels, whereby the flanges of the bracket are drawn inmore tightly against the legs of said U-shaped channels upon loading ofan associated shelf.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,276,677 Mittleburg Aug. 20, 1918 2,191,701 Wood Feb. 27, 19402,306,540 Bales Dec. 29, 1942 2,622,834 Sparring Dec. 23, 1952 2,642,249Samuels June 16, 1953 2,925,920 Skubic Feb. 23, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS1,064,615 France May 17, 1954

1. A SHELF-SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A VERTICAL STANDARD HAVING ACONTINUOUS FRONT WALL AND SIDEWALLS WITH INWARDLY FACING NARROW SLOTSFORMING U-SHAPED CHANNELS ADJACENT THEIR REARWARD ENDS, SAID U-SHAPEDCHANNELS HAVING A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED VERTICALLY ELONGATED APERTURESSPACED ALONG THE BASE PORTION THEREOF; AND A ONE PIECE SHELF-SUPPORTINGBRACKET OF GENERALLY U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION HAVING A PAIR OF ELONGATEDARMS EXTENDING GENERALLY PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID FRONT WALL AND ALONGTHE SIDEWALLS OF THE STANDARD, SAID ARMS BEING RESILIENTLY SPREADABLEAND HAVING INWARDLY FACING FLANGES AT THEIR FREE ENDS EXTENDING INTO THEU-SHAPED CHANNELS OF SAID STANDARD, SAID FLANGES HAVING HOOK-SHAPEDPROJECTIONS THEREON ENGAGED IN SAID ELONGATED APERTURES IN THE USHAPEDCHANNELS.